Orc Patrol Encounter by Jeff Lombardo

The PCs come upon an ancient watch tower deep in a crop of dense woods through which they’ve been travelling.

The tower’s commanding view of the surrounding area makes it an ideal place to set up camp for the night. The plateau upon which the watch tower sits is about 30 feet high, with steep slopes surrounding it (Climb check, DC 10).

Unbeknownst to the PCs, a patrolling party of orcs (see below) are returning to this same campsite after an uneventful patrol along the outer borders of their tribe’s territory. They camp regularly in this spot, however any traces of thier once being here have been long since been washed away by recent rainfall.

The orcs arrive shortly before dawn. If the PCs are making any noise (such as donning armour, or otherwise preparing for the day, have the orcs roll a Listen check (DC 10) to see whether they are alerted to the PCs presence; if they are, they attempt to ambush the PCs; if not, they take no precautions in trying to scramble up the steep slopes (Climb check , DC 10), eager to curl up and sleep during the light of day. Upon discovery of the PCs, they waste no time in attempting to dispatch the intruders.